The first criminal trial against former Assistant Commissioner of Police Calvin Brutus commenced yesterday before Acting Chief Magistrate Faith McGusty at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court, where prosecutors outlined allegations that he abused his office to facilitate payments to businesses linked to his wife.
Brutus is facing one count of misconduct in public office, contrary to common law, and 221 counts of liability of an official under Section 85 of the Fiscal Management and Accountability Act 2003.
The prosecution alleges that while serving as Assistant Commissioner of Police and performing the duties of Deputy Commissioner (Administration), Brutus used the authority of his office to create opportunities for businesses connected to his wife to defraud the State of significant sums of money.
It is further alleged that in January 2024, Brutus instructed Senior Superintendent Bharrat Persaud, the Guyana Police Force’s Finance Officer, to submit to him 221 payment vouchers relating to those businesses. The prosecution contends that the vouchers were never returned to the Police Finance Office.
The court first heard evidence from Registrar General Raymon Cummings, who tendered into evidence the marriage certificate of Calvin Brutus and Adonika Alicia Aulder. Also admitted were the business registration and company documents for Triple A Depot and South Quata Contracting and General Supplies Inc., businesses allegedly owned by Brutus’s wife.
Persaud then took the stand, where he explained the functions of the Police Finance Office and detailed the procurement and payment process. He told the court that payment vouchers undergo several stages of preparation and verification before approval.
According to Persaud, every voucher had to be signed by Brutus before it was forwarded to the Ministry of Home Affairs for processing.
He also testified about transactions involving Triple A Depot and South Quata Contracting and General Supplies Inc., and recounted a request by Brutus for the 221 payment vouchers connected to those businesses.
Persaud further told the court that after the vouchers were not returned, he wrote several letters requesting their return on October 3, 15 and 17, 2024.
Following the completion of Persaud’s evidence, Acting Chief Magistrate McGusty adjourned the matter to October 8, 2026, for the continuation of the trial.
The State is being represented by Attorney-at-Law Darin Chan and Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions Natasha Backer, while Brutus is represented by Attorneys-at-Law Yuborn Allicock and Dominick Bess.
The case is one of several criminal matters arising from a 2024 Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) investigation into alleged financial irregularities within the Guyana Police Force.
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